Cheeseburger-Style Beef and Hash Brown Casserole

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 425 g (15 oz) frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 450 g (1 lb) 96% lean ground beef
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 180 g (1 cup) plum tomatoes, chopped
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 can (300 g / 10.5 oz) no-salt-added condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 120 ml (½ cup) skim milk
• 60 g (½ cup) reduced-fat sharp cheddar, grated, divided
• 15 g (¼ cup) nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped, washed and dried well

Method

1. Set a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 180°C (350°F). Grease a 23 × 33 cm (9 × 13 in) baking dish.
2. Wrap the thawed potatoes in a clean kitchen towel and twist firmly to squeeze out as much liquid as you can. This is what keeps the casserole from turning soggy.
3. Brown the beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks. Lower the heat to medium and pour off any fat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes and pepper for 1 minute more.
4. Tip the beef into a large bowl. Add the potatoes, soup, milk, half of the cheddar and the nutritional yeast, and mix well.
5. Spread the mixture evenly in the dish and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and golden. Scatter over the remaining cheddar and the sesame seeds and bake 5 minutes longer.
6. Let rest for 5 minutes, then serve topped with the chopped romaine.